Monday, 1 February 2010

Last night at camp, a few of us got together and worked out a strategy against the heat. We would ride together the first 2 hours as fast as we could and clock as many kilometers as possible before the infernal blaze would reduce our bodies into boiling eggs.

That worked out really well, Tony and I got in the front of the pack and despite my previous day cold and fever, I was feeling so good that we actually rode 25 km in front without passing relay... Needless to say that our fellow riders were happy about that... When we dropped to the back of the group, I realised that quite a few other guys had hopped on the opportunity and our peloton was actually quite big. The problem with that is that many riders especially at the back are quite experienced in peloton riding and riding in big groups can be hazardous. We already had 5 guys falling on top of each other a few days ago and they walk around camp limping with fat bruises on their bodies. Anyway I knew that as soon as Jim, the American would take his turn in front, that peloton would explode, and that's exactly what happened. We were already maintaining a decent pace of 35 km per hour and since Jim always make a point of rising the speed of 5 km per hour when it is his turn in front, our pace went to 40 km per hour which split that group in two.Our group kept that strong pace all the way to the lunch truck at km 77 which we reached in about two hours making our average speed over 35 km per hour. By then the heat was now starting to hurt and everybody knew that the remaining 65 km were not gonna be fun. Last night during the rider meeting they told us there was a "coffee shop" at km 122, so this was the next target...

Again we decided to stick together and rode all the way to this "coffee shop" The heat is impossible to describe. You simply cannot get away from it. There is no shade nowhere, it is just sand reflecting that heat straight at your face, even your bike starts to burn and the water in the water bottle gets so warm that it is totally unpleasant to drink it, but you have no choice. We are drinking so much water, it is mad. You fill all your water bottles, (I have 3) and then you grab any opportunity to buy cold drinks along the road. Today there are two such opportunities... Then you refill all at the lunch truck.

The "coffee shop" offered a brake from the heat; Designed for the local people, it was very basic, very dirty, if you had to come in there straight from the asseptisised world we are used to live in, you would call it filthy, but by now, we are pretty much comfortable with that, so we will just call it "dirty". but, who cares about dirty anyway... What mattered is that it offered shade and ultra luxury a bed and some seats... Jos, our South African rider who is more built for playing Rugby than riding a bike through the Sudanese desert took over that bed and had a sleep for a good hour while the rest of us where taking photos of the place and downing cold drink after cold drink. Unfortunately within 30 minutes we had managed to drink every possible cold drink available at the "coffee shop"... This meant that the new riders who were just coming in were gonna have to intake that horrible hot pepsi... This is one of the advantage the faster riders enjoy. The TDA staff actually stops at these places in advance and tell them to fill their fridges for us, but you can imagine that these fridges are often old and efficient and take many hours to cool down anything...

A colorful bus full of women pulled in at the coffee shop stop and the place became very busy. I was hungry for something salty, but here in remote Sudan they seem to like only super sweet stuff. The coffee shop sold all kind of disgusting ultra sweet biscuits, but not one salted thing, and we need to replenish with salt given the amount of sweating we do. So I was left with only one solution, try the local meat stew that was boiling in a aluminium pot. The woman who came out of the bus had some and it did look disgusting, but I was hungry and I eventually was the only rider who was brave enough to give it a try. The people here carry their own plate and I did not have one, so the guy who was running the place gave me his. By the time I saw how filthy his plate was, it was too late to decline the offer. He politely cleaned some of the grace and thick layer of, I don't know what he does with his right hand and threw a full portion of stew in it... So I decided it was time to start teaching my body about the local germs and bugs, a good preparation for Ethiopia... Anyway, the taste was good, lightly spiced. The problem is that chopped meat in Africa is a very different thing from chopped meat in Europe... Chopped means chopped.. So this means that the meat is full of very sharp pieces of bones so you gotta be careful when eating it. This also means that you hit the lottery when you find a piece that is soft and eatable the way we are used to. Eating that meat reminded me the scene of Charlie Chaplin eating his shoe sole in "the gold rush". There were strange pieces of strange body parts, but never mind, I was hungry and to me it tasted good. I suppose that in any other context I would have given it a different comment, but for the middle of the Sudanese desert, it got a good rating from my French palate...

Riding to camp was easy, a nice tail wind had picked up and we were propulsed at a whooping 38 km per hour over the last few kilometers without much work...

Tomorrow is another hard day, we have 155 km to go and in days we will be in Khartoum.

Here is the stew, definitely a must when you have been a desert for too long

TDA riders recovering after a long ride in the intense heat

We came across this school, they were having a break and the kids
were busy drinking form the wheel

Tonigt at camp a Sudanese entreprenerial sales man came with his
car full of hot "cold drinks" and made a fortune...

This young girl was on tha women's bus and took great
interest about our cameras

Hi Gerald. Thanx for good site and fab updates! Jos is riding in aid of our charity (Matla A Bana - A voice against child abuse). Please tell him that we are getting all his updates and that I am organising his parcel. Thanx! Monique

My brother Marcel van Zwam is also a TDA racer/rider. (probebly nr 2 or 3 in the race)I cant reach him anymore by sms since 24th jan. and i don't no why. I received his sms in good order. Please can you tell him i will keep on trying en give him lots of greetings, good luck and a big hug from his only sister Marion!!!!

Thanks for your beautiful site and pictures, i follow your site every day! Also good luck by yourself!

COMMENTS AND MESSAGES FOR GERALD

If you find difficult to send a comment to Gerald. Here is the easier way to do it: at the end of each posting you can find the word COMMENT just click on that and write you message and sign your name in the message and then send it as anonymous.

ROUTE MAP

The Tour D' Afrique Race

From Cairo to Cape Town....12 000 km, 10 countries, 96 days of cycling averaging 130 km each. 22 resting days. A total of 120 days to cross the continent and race with 40 over competitors.

This adventure race will challenge my body and mind like no other, crossing some of the most exotic places on earth, pedaling pass places like Kilimanjaro, Victoria falls, lake Malawi...

This race will also be about meeting people, sharing their lifes, their food, their culture.

Become a follower and you will receive regular updates and photos of this incredible adventure!

TRANSLATOR

ME

My name is Gerald Coniel, I am 45 y.o and I must be crazy!... But why be normal?...

HELP ME DONATE BIKES!

Each year the Tour D'Afrique organisation donates bicycles to health care associations in the countries we cross. One bike can deliver medicines up to 100 people a day. Last year 320 bikes were distributed... In 2010, we have donation ceremonies planned for Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Arusha, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Windhoek and Cape Town.

I will be handing over the bikes myself. You will see on this blog when, where, and to whom the bikes went.Join me in raising money for purchasing as many bikes as possible.www.tourdafrique.com/foundation

To participate, mail me at gconiel@andorra.ad100 euro buys one bike, it is the most efficient way to help I have ever heard. Get together with a few friends and offer one bike, make me proud! Imagine what an impact you can make with 100 euro!

MASAI STEPPE

MAP OF TANZANIA

MASAI STEPPE

SectionsFull Tour
Cairo to Cape TownPharaoh's Delight
Cairo to KhartoumThe Gorge
Khartoum to Addis AbabaMeltdown Madness
Addis Ababa to NairobiMasai Steppe
Nairobi to IringaMalawi Gin
Iringa to LilongweZambezi Zone
Lilongwe to Victoria FallsElephant Highway
Victoria Falls to WindhoekDiamond Coast
Windhoek to Cape TownMasai Steppe
Nairobi to Iringa
Start: March 14, Nairobi, Kenya
Finish: March 25, Iringa, Tanzania
Price: €950 Distance: 1,012km
Riding Days: 9 days
Resting Days: 3 days
(difficulty)
(exotic factor)
(comfort)
If scenes of Wildebeest migration and big cat kills on the Discovery or National Geographic Channel are your favourite vision of Africa, then this is the section of the Tour d'Afrique for you. One day south of Nairobi, you will arrive at the border of Tanzania and immediately spot the unmistakable Mount Kilimanjaro and its smaller sibling, Mount Meru. From there, it’s a day’s pedal to the rapidly growing and vibrant city of Arusha. As the gateway to such famous attractions as Serengeti National Park, Ngorogoro Crater, and “Kili,” Arusha is East Africa’s safari capital. Here riders are given 3 days off, affording them the opportunities to experience wild Africa at its most spectacular, to shop in the local stores and markets, or simply to rest and replenish their energies.
Heading south from Arusha, the red-cloaked Masai tribesmen will be your constant companions as you spin along roads with relatively little traffic, keeping an eye out for zebra and giraffe. At Lake Manyara you trade the tarmac for several challenging days of ascents and descents – the Masai Steppe – on a rougher gravel road, that can be treacherous in places if the rainy season has arrived. However the friendliness of the villagers, the roadside banana stands, and the sheer beauty of this unique and verdant land ensures that come rain or shine, this stretch is one of the most memorable on Tour. After passing through Tanzania’s modern capital of Dodoma, you hit pavement again shortly before the pleasant town of Iringa, which is the gateway to nearby Ruaha National Park, and a regional center of the Ismaili Islamic sect.

PLACES TRAVELLED IN KENYA

MELTDOWN MADNESS

South of Addis Ababa, the terrain changes again to rolling countryside interspersed with alkaline lakes. After passing Mount Guraghe and Lake Abaya, riders will arrive in Arba Minch (Forty Springs), which is renowned for its beautiful views, Crocodile farm, and nearby Nechisar National Park. In Yabello, you can visit the wildlife sanctuary where you might catch a glimpse at some of Africa's rarest birds such as the Prince Ruspoli Turaco. Most of the riding for this stretch is on reasonably good pavement, with one exception - a tough off-road day between Kanso and Yabello through remote villages inhabited by the Borena people.
The crossing from Ethiopia into Kenya at Moyale marks the beginning of the “meltdown” portion of this section. It takes 6 riding days to cross the unpaved lava expanse of northern Kenya’s Dida Galgalu desert, which for long stretches redefines the words bumpy and corrugated. At the midway point the market town of Marsabit, set on the slopes of an ancient volcano, offers a welcome respite before the “road” descends again into the arid lands that are home to the Samburu people and their herds of camels and cattle. Approaching Isiolo, riders rejoice at the sight of pavement, and the opportunity to have a well deserved beer or ice cream bar. From there, the route ascends and then descends the western slopes of majestic Mount Kenya, before crossing the equator in Nanyuki, which is a short day’s ride from Nairobi, East Africa’s largest city.
The “Meltdown” features some of the most diverse changes in scenery and riding conditions, from plateau to desert to savannah. Cycling the “Meltdown” in its entirety is an impressive accomplishment for any cyclist.

MAP OF ETHIOPIA

PLACES TREVELLED IN ETHIOPIA

THE GORGE

From Khartoum to the border of Ethiopia, the Tour passes through the “bread basket” of the Sudan. The countryside gradually changes as you cycle towards Ethiopia and witness the transformation from the Arabic Muslim world of northern Africa to the more tribal and traditional nature of the Horn of Africa.
Once in Ethiopia, the ride of your life begins. Ethiopia contains some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world as well as one of its most unique and ancient cultures. This section will challenge your body more than any other due to the high altitude riding, not least during the first two days in country when the Tour takes the rough but slowly improving road up onto the plateau from Metema to the Gondar road junction. The second of these days features the most climbing – some 2500 meters - of any day on tour.
The Ethiopian Highlands offer several fascinating stops including Gondar city with its 17th century castles, and Bahir Dar where you can visit ancient monasteries on islands in Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls. While some riders may hesitate to sample such wonders of Ethiopian cuisine as injera (flat bread), shuro wat (chick pea stew), and kitfo (steak tartare), no-one can resist the espresso and juice bars found in all the larger towns.
From a cycling standpoint, the highlight of this section will be the Blue Nile Gorge, a 1600-meter precipitous descent and ascent on a newly paved road that will test the mettle of cyclists of any caliber. Once you have conquered the Blue Nile Gorge, the beautiful terrain of the central Ethiopian plateau will whiz by as you spin towards the capital city of Addis Ababa. The descent from the eucalyptus forested hills that surround Addis into the downtown core is an experience you will not soon forget.

PHARAOH'S DELIGHT

The Tour d'Afrique starts at the legendary Pyramids of Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo. As one of the wonders of the world, the Pyramids are a perfect embarkation point for the intrepid journey ahead, and the Sphinx bows its head in respect as you cycle past and bid farewell to Africa’s largest city.
After riding to the Red Sea and down the coastal highway to Safaga, you climb inland and cross the rugged Eastern desert into Upper Egypt, joining the Nile River at Qena. In Luxor, the opportunity to explore the magnificent temple of Karnak and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens is one not to be missed. From there, the Route continues south along the banks of the mother Nile towards the Aswan Dam.
From Aswan you will travel overnight by boat down Lake Nasser and past the Abu Simbel monuments into Sudan, one of the world’s most remote and least visited countries. But as you will discover, the Sudanese are some of the world’s friendliest people. For many riders this is where the “real” Africa begins. With the Nile River as companion, you will spin past minarets and through palm grove villages that have hardly changed in hundreds of years. Change is however coming more rapidly now as the sandy tracks that the Tour used to traverse the Nubian desert on are replaced by smooth Chinese funded tarmac. This section ends with a convoy ride into the Sudanese capital city of Khartoum, which sits at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers. After the heat and dust of the desert, Khartoum seems to be part oasis and part mirage, especially when one enters the air-conditioned ABSA shopping center, where milk shakes, gourmet coffees, a supermarket and even bowling can be found.
The "Pharaoh's Delight" is for those who want to feel the desert wind on their face and experience the romance of biking along one of the great rivers of the world through the lands of the Pharaohs, the Nubians and the Cush. At times you will feel like you are one of the first travelers to come upon these forgotten lands. And on a bicycle, that’s pretty much the truth.